Ferenc Szurdoki

US Patent:

54590400, Oct 17, 1995

Filed:

Nov 22, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/156567

Inventors:

Bruce D. Hammock - Davis CA
Ferenc Szurdoki - Davis CA
Horacio Kido - Davis CA

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California - Oakland CA

International Classification:

G01N 3320
G01N
G01N
G01N 3358

US Classification:

435 71

Abstract:

Methods of assaying for the presence or amount of a metal ion in a sample suspected of containing such ions. In one aspect, an enzyme amplified sandwich assay is provided which relies upon the ability of the analyte (metal ion) to form a complex with two complexing agents (chelators). In this assay, the first sandwich chelator is immobilized on a solid support, while the second sandwich chelator is linked to a reporter group (e. g. , an enzyme). This assay combines the specific recognition of the analyte by the first and second sandwich chelators with the great signal amplification offered by the reporter group (e. g. , enzyme). In another aspect, a competitive assay is provided that relies on the competitive inhibition of complex formation between the coating ligand (i. e. , the chelator attached to the solid support) and the organometallic compound attached to the reporter group (e. g. , enzyme) by the metal ions of interest present in the sample.